Addis Abeba — Data internet services have been restored in 19 cities across Ethiopia's Amhara region, ending a shutdown that began in August 2023.
The outage started following clashes between the non-state militia, Fano, and government security forces, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency in August 2023.
Residents in various cities, including Dessie and Bahir Dar, confirmed the resumption of data internet services as of 14 July, 2024. They report that connection speeds remain slow and inconsistent.
A resident from Dessie, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Addis Standard, "There is congestion because everyone is using it; it comes and goes." Despite the slow speed, the resident expressed satisfaction with the service's return.
Befekadu Hailu, co-founder of the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), confirmed to Addis Standard that internet services have been restored in the Amhara region.
He clarified that while broadband internet services had been operational before, it is the mobile data services that have now been restored. Befekadu noted that the exact cause of the current slow speeds is still under investigation.
"Various factors can affect internet speed, such as restrictions on certain social media platforms or intentional throttling by the internet service provider," Befekadu explained, adding that a thorough investigation is needed to determine the precise cause of the slow speed.
The prolonged shutdown drew international attention.
In September 2023, the KeepItOn coalition, a global network of over 300 human rights organizations from 105 countries, called on the Ethiopian government to end the internet shutdown in the Amhara region. The coalition emphasized that internet shutdowns during conflicts put people's lives at risk and prevent access to vital information.
In January 2024, Addis Standard published an article citing a report by Top10VPN, which estimated Ethiopia's economic losses from internet shutdowns at approximately $1.9 billion for 2023, ranking it second globally in terms of financial impact from such disruptions.
More recently, the Center for Rights and Democracy (CARD), a local nonprofit organization, conducted research on internet shutdowns in Ethiopia. Their study, titled "Equity of Access to the Internet in Ethiopia," reveals that the country experienced significant internet disruptions in 2023.
Funded by Access Now, a digital rights organization, the research indicates that Ethiopia lost $1.59 billion due to internet shutdowns lasting 14,910 hours and affecting 29 million users.
